Max Verstappen delivered a masterclass as he and Pink Bull returned to profitable methods on the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia. However who else impressed our Energy Rankings judges on the Sepang Worldwide Circuit? Take a look at the newest scores and total leaderboard under…
Verstappen, Pink Bull and their all-new energy unit have scored a strong variety of podiums over the primary 15 rounds of the season, however pole place and victory had eluded them. That was till final weekend at Sepang, the place the Dutchman – making good use of latest updates – stormed his option to P1 on the grid after which mastered the combined circumstances on Sunday to bag a breakthrough win. Our judges have been unanimous in giving him 10/10 scores.
Aston Martin and Honda’s 2026 issues have been very effectively documented, however the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia marked an enormous step in the precise course for the brand new partnership. After securing a greatest grid slot of the marketing campaign to date in P12, Fernando Alonso used all of his expertise on a moist/dry race day to come back away with an excellent P8 end.
It regarded prefer it had all gone flawed for Lewis Hamilton and Ferrari at the beginning of Sunday’s race, with P2 on the grid turning into P17 on the finish of the primary racing lap after of venture to begin on slick tyres backfired. Nonetheless, the seven-time World Champion got here again combating because the observe dried out, displaying speedy tempo and pulling off a collection of effective strikes – passing Isack Hadjar for the ultimate podium spot within the closing phases.
Whereas Hamilton tumbled down the order on the primary lap, intermediate-shod Liam Lawson charged his manner from eleventh to fourth. He loved wheel-to-wheel moments with Verstappen’s Pink Bull, earlier than understandably dropping contact with the front-runners as circumstances moved from damp to dry. Nonetheless, seventh place marked an excellent reward, and one other increase for Racing Bulls of their battle for P5 within the standings with Alpine.
Mercedes confronted a headache at Sepang as they tried to know a bunch of automobile updates on a scorching, demanding observe floor. Kimi Antonelli salvaged fourth in Qualifying, which turned third because of Hadjar’s engine-related penalty, earlier than charging into the lead at the beginning after which settling for second behind Verstappen. The non-public struggles of Azerbaijan behind him, Antonelli was already set to realize factors over George Russell when his group mate floor to a halt late on – boosting the Italian’s championship result in 84 factors.
Hadjar impressed loads of paddock figures when he returned to motion from a wrist damage on the streets of Baku and bagged a podium end. His sturdy type continued over the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia weekend, bringing third in Qualifying (earlier than his penalty) and the potential for an additional rostrum within the tough, moist/dry circumstances. A slight drop in tempo over the second half of the race allowed the 2 Ferraris by way of, however fifth nonetheless represented a really strong outcome.
Arvid Lindblad confronted an enormous restoration drive at Sepang after taking over new energy unit parts and dropping to the very again of the grid. Remarkably, the Racing Bulls rookie made up 13 locations on the primary racing lap alone, placing him firmly within the combine for a factors end. After the transition from intermediates to slicks, Security Vehicles, race restarts and extra, a late transfer on Nico Hulkenberg earned himself and Racing Bulls one other necessary level.
Talking of Hulkenberg, the German had achieved loads of issues proper on Sunday to rise from fifteenth on the grid to the points-paying positions. Sadly for the Audi driver, who has narrowly missed out on a reward loads of occasions this season, Lindblad and McLaren’s Lando Norris – after his off-track tour behind the Security Automotive – each managed to sneak previous within the closing laps and deny him.
Esteban Ocon introduced that he might be leaving Haas on the finish of the 2026 season within the build-up to final weekend’s occasion. Beginning seventeenth, simply behind group mate Ollie Bearman, he was one other driver to make a sensational begin to the race, climbing all the best way to P7 and remaining within the prime 10 over the primary half. His and the group’s tempo pale as circumstances acquired drier, however the Frenchman supplied one other glimpse of what he can do.
Carlos Sainz additionally made up a hatful of positions on the primary racing lap, turning thirteenth (after one other Q2 look) into sixth. He remained within the battle for factors because the race developed, solely to be tipped right into a spin by Audi’s Gabriel Bortoleto exiting Flip 2. Given the drying circumstances, that successfully ended his possibilities of scoring factors there after which.
Lacking out
Simply lacking out on the highest 10 of this week’s Energy Rankings checklist are Lance Stroll, who additionally displayed encouraging tempo for Aston Martin, in addition to McLaren driver Oscar Piastri (who completed P6) and the aforementioned Russell (who had been on track for a podium).
